GameStop exec: PS4 will launch in UK this year

We knew the PS4 was expected to go on sale in certain territories this year, but some reports claimed the killer console wouldn't reach these shores until 2014. Well now an exec at games retailer GameStop has said it'll launch globally this year, meaning Brits will get their mitts on it in the next few months, X-bit labs reports.

Of course this isn't official until it comes from Sony. But still, fingers crossed it's on the money.

"We know that Sony will introduce the PlayStation 4 globally in 2013, but we are still waiting to see what Microsoft's final plans are," said Michael Hogan, executive vice president of strategy business and brand development at GameStop.

The PS4 was rumoured to hit the US and Japan first, then the UK sometime in 2014. Previous PlayStations have launched at different times in different countries, and traditionally Brits lose out. The original PlayStation went on sale in Japan in December 1994, but we had to wait until the end of September 1995 before we could get playing. Hopefully we shouldn't be left hanging this time.

Interestingly, we actually got the Wii U ahead of Nintendo's native Japanese gamers. Though judging by the poor reception the console has had, maybe that wasn't such a boon.

While we should be first in line with other nations when the PS4 is released, there is another reason we could be kept waiting. GameStop reckons Sony won't be able to meet demand for the console, which means shortages (a la Nexus 4), which means frustrated gamers.

Hey-ho. Nothing to do but wait and see I suppose. Do you think Sony will release the PS4 on these shores in 2013? What do you hope for from the console? Let me know in the comments, or on Facebook.